1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a disposable integral stenciled glove. More particularly, the disposable stenciled glove is for the application of designs on fingernails, false fingernails or toenails by either professional manicurists or any woman desiring to decorate or file her nails.
2. Description of the Related Art
The related art of interest describes various stenciling devices and methods, -but which omit the integration of a glove with a stencil which is cut out in the glove for polishing and filing fingernails and toenails. The related art will be discussed in the order of its perceived relevance to the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,283,703 issued on May 19, 1942, to Norma Stedman describes a rubber fingernail stencil which has a cutout for a fingernail. The opening has raised edge elements to define the edges of the fingernail. The front edge of the cutout fit underneath the front portion of the fingernail. The rear edge of the rubber fingernail stencil is rolled over. One fingernail stencil is preferably used for ten fingers, but a plurality of stencils or caps for all the fingers may be utilized. It is suggested as an incidental description that a set of caps may be attached as the ends of the fingers in a glove, but a glove is not claimed. Moreover, if a close fitting surgical type is utilized, the glove would be difficult to place on a hand or foot and the cutout design would become distorted. Stedman further recites "Where the material of the cap in general is not elastic, a piece of elastic material may be attached at one end to one side of the opening and at the other end to the other side of the opening and may be long enough to be drawn tightly under the finger" (page 2, column 1, lines 22-27). This disclosure teaches against the use of an elastic glove with a cutout stencil integrated at its tips as in the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,427,121 issued on Jun. 27, 1995, to Joyce H. Polito describes a spray on nail polishing method utilizing an adhesive backed finger shield of foil paper with an oblong cutout for each fingernail or toenail and spraying three coats starting with a base coat paint through the finger shield, an acrylic paint spray through a stencil with an adhesive back, and a top coat paint after removal of the stencil. Oval stencils may have designs such as hearts, stripes, dots, and a leaf. The three-coat method and the use of shields and stencils are distinguishable from the one unit stenciled glove of the present invention.
German Patent Application No. 3,347,437 published on Jul. 11, 1985, for Josef Kroesen describes a similar method involving the use of brushed polish and thin stencil foils applied to the fingernail. FIG. 9 illustrates 9 designs for the stencils. The method is distinguishable for using stencils adhered to the fingernails.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,094,962 issued on Oct. 5, 1937, to Roberta G. Haworth describes a manicuring device for shielding the lunule of a fingernail during the application of nail polish. Two different wrap around strips of thin rubber with either variable sized circular portions or a single indentation and a tongue and hole binding means are shown. A third embodiment utilizes a tube with a lunule mask. Other materials such as cellophane and celluloid are applicable as manicuring devices. The devices are distinguishable for being open-ended and applied only on the fingertips.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,234,657 issued on Mar. 11, 1941, to Frank M. Smaldone describes a nail decorating method and device utilizing an adhesive backed crescent shaped paper sheet to cover the lunule of a fingernail and a stencil with a star cutout. The lunule masks may be packaged on a card. The method and device are distinguishable as being limited to fingertip masking.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,245,418 issued on Apr. 12, 1966, to Ben Dinerstein describes a shielding device for applying nail-hardening formaldehyde compositions to fingernails. A triangular stencil with adhesive backing and a removable protective covering on top has a forwardly arched curvilinear slit forming a flap and either a slit or a curved aperture behind the flap. The shielding device is placed over a fingertip with the flap projecting and the front tip adhered under the fingertip. The device is distinguishable for its limitation only to a fingertip.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,645,090 issued on Jul. 8, 1997, to Kathryn A. Juhl et al. describes a French manicuring device kit and a method of applying polish to a fingernail tip. The stencil is a flexible oval piece of plastic with two curved slots defining a bottom strap for holding the stencil to a fingertip. The nail polish is added only to the exposed tip of the fingernail to create the French manicure design. The device is distinguishable for its limitation to a fingertip and for creating only one design.
French Patent Application No. 2,606,611 published on May 20, 1988, for Roland Gobert describes a method for applying false fingernails using a mask. The mask is distinguishable from the present invention for not having any design cutouts.
German Patent Application No. 2,308,501 published on Aug. 22, 1974, for Daniel J. Petermann describes a stencil card including cutouts for all four fingernails and the thumbnail in a first embodiment. A second embodiment employs flower designs for the fingernails with a slot for engaging the tip of the fingernail. Therefore, the card devices are distinguishable in lacking the glove attachment of the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,277,205 issued on Jan. 11, 1994, to Nevia Jenkins describes a method and apparatus for applying decoration to fingernails or toenails. A jig surrounds a fingertip and a connected well on top feeds fingernail polish below it to a removable stencil with an animal design. The device and method are distinguishable for the use of a jig.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,262,977 issued on Nov. 18, 1941, to Nick Vasil describes a fingertip clamping device having two or more removable fingernail stencils. The device is distinguishable from the present invention which does not require clamps.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singularly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed. Thus a stenciled disposable glove for polishing nails solving the aforementioned problems is desired.